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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25841800">Bloom</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/unix_epoch_89/pseuds/unix_epoch_89'>unix_epoch_89</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Seasons [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Acceptance, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dressrosa (One Piece), Dressrosa Arc, Engagement, F/M, Grand Line (One Piece), Headcanon, Healthy Relationships, New World (One Piece), Post-Dressrosa, Pre-Epilogue, Pre-Relationship, Reverie (One Piece)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:40:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,953</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25841800</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/unix_epoch_89/pseuds/unix_epoch_89</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>As spring comes into life, another romance blooms. </p><p>A tale on how Viola pondered on whether or not she should let Donquixote Doflamingo back into her life once again.</p><p>Note: this one-shot is set four years after their fateful encounter at the shore located at the rear end of Green Bit.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cavendish/Rebecca (One Piece), Donquixote Doflamingo/Violet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Seasons [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1874728</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bloom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the second installment for my collection of one-shots titled 'Seasons'. I highly suggest reading 'Snow' first since there are references to that one-shot and it would clear things up.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">Life is still good. Well, in Viola’s perceptive eyes, life is still good. Dressrosa still remains as a vibrant country although there were… <em>minor</em> turbulences that the economy faced, especially during the time of the World Government’s collapse.</p><p class="p1">Dressrosa, being one of the kingdoms who is a member of the Levely, had to make drastic changes right after the said collapse. The Levely was the only council connecting 50 leaders from various nations together and without it, the Riku family had to establish and secure diplomatic ties with the affiliated nations which took roughly two years. It would’ve consumed more time if it wasn’t for one flamboyant man helping them out.</p><p class="p1">Living up to his words, Doflamingo did what he can in order to atone his sins and earn the family’s forgiveness and favor. With his connections abroad and in the underworld, he was able to secure financial aid to the country’s economy as well as threaten– no, <em>convince</em> leaders of several nations to maintain their diplomatic ties with Dressrosa.</p><p class="p1">It has been four years since Viola and Doffy’s fateful encounter at Green Bit. The heiress was fully convinced that their meeting would be the last– only to find out that the benefactor from another kingdom was a middleman. Turns out, it was Doflamingo’s money that was being ‘donated’ to the kingdom which was used in dealing with the damage caused by the war that led to the former warlord’s defeat.</p><p class="p1">Knowing the pirate’s attitude through and through, Viola was stuck with the impression that this is another scheme orchestrated by Doffy. She immediately demanded for the benefactor to drag and bring the ‘perpetrator’ to her and after a few days of waiting, the two met once again. Without any words, Viola asked Doffy to crouch down to her height– since what she was about to do won’t be possible if he remained standing in his 10-foot glory– and slapped him with no explanations.</p><p class="p1">The benefactor was surprised with what he witnessed, unaware of the fact that two had history with each other. Doflamingo remained silent, however, fully aware of how Violet would react when she learns of the unsolicited marriage deal that his friend made. He, too, was surprised with it and asked his ‘friend’ as to why he did what he did.</p><p class="p1">The ‘friend’ just shrugged and told Doflamingo that he “sensed urgency and longing” with Doffy’s actions. He knew that the former warlord was too greedy to share his riches and when he approached him to be the ‘middleman’ for the ‘anonymous’ donations, he realized that the pirate had some underlying intentions, and playing cupid was merely him suspecting that Doflamingo’s intentions of helping the country were directed towards someone he, at the very least, cared for.</p><p class="p1">And his guess was right. The heiress of the throne, apparently, shared some bond with the former captain of the Donquixote pirates, and the latter currently has a red imprint on his left cheek from the impact of Viola’s slap.</p><p class="p1">Right after the incident, the benefactor instantly cleared the air out and explained that Doflamingo wasn’t the mastermind of the agreement. Viola, being the clairvoyant person she is, didn’t buy the explanation and remained unfazed while the former warlord saw this as an opportunity to win over Viola’s favor and affection.</p><p class="p1">This event marked the beginning of a 4-year courtship between the two, as well as the Riku family. Doflamingo spent the first two years convincing Viola that he wasn’t scheming with the marriage clause and at the same time, convincing her that he is serious and honest with his intentions. He also slowly but surely tried earning forgiveness from the Riku family, starting with the king, then Kyros, and then Rebecca. He did not only try earning their forgiveness from words, though– he also showed it through his actions.</p><p class="p1">After assuring the king that he has changed his way and is constantly having his therapy sessions for an entire year, he aided the royal family in dealing with the country’s economy, national security, and enforcing policies, seeing to it that he also ruled over the country for ten years.</p><p class="p1">The former warlord has been an adviser of the kingdom for the past three years and he has proven his worth when the World Government was overthrown after the Void Century has been debunked and the entire world has learned of the terrors that the families residing in Mariejois caused. Doflamingo’s knowledge regarding his ancestry came in a clutch. He saw the collapse of the World Government coming– one of the few times his perception dominated Viola’s– and immediately let king Riku know of the chaos that’s about to ensue and the necessary steps to be done in order to minimize the damage that would befall the country.</p><p class="p1">The king felt wary of Doffy’s statement at first but after talking about the incoming chaos in great detail, he decided to gamble and take the former warlord’s suggestions into great consideration.</p><p class="p1">And he was thankful he decided to gamble because with Doffy’s perception together with Viola’s clairvoyance, the inevitable disintegration of the World Government occurred and the latter was able to sense the incoming damages that Dressrosa will experience. The king have slightly softened to the former warlord and after four years of his courtship to the entire family, Doldo III is just waiting for <em>something</em> before he can <em>accept</em> the former warlord.</p><p class="p1">On the other hand, Rebecca and Kyros are civil enough to tolerate Doffy’s presence on meetings concerning the country. The reformation of the policies passed down through the generations of the Riku family are close to being approved and anytime soon, the father and daughter duo will be legally accepted and recognized as royalties. They didn’t immediately soften up to the former warlord– they never did, but the incoming duties as well as Rebecca’s engagement to a former-prince-turned-pirate named Cavendish pushed the thought of Donquixote Doflamingo’s eventual union with Viola into the back of their minds.</p><p class="p1">___</p><p class="p1">It was late night when Viola has finished reviewing, marking, and signing the pile of documents placed atop her mahogany desk. Stretching her limbs out, the heiress decided to push her seat back and stand up, the mere fact that she has been sitting for the past 8 hours is enough to make her legs give out due to fatigue.</p><p class="p1">She wasn’t only fatigued physically– mentally, too. For the past few days, the mental debate in her mind as to whether or not she should let Doflamingo in her life once again has been consuming her mental energy together with her official duties as one of the leaders of this country.</p><p class="p1">And finally, she has reached a decision after a full month of contemplation.</p><p class="p1">Hearing her stomach grumble, Viola decided to retire from her duties tonight and have her dinner. Walking out of her wing, she headed downstairs and headed straight towards the kitchen. It’s currently midnight and waking the servants up for something simple as cooking a meal will be too bothersome so she just heated up the leftovers from tonight’s dinner. Placing the reheated paella in a bowl, Viola also grabbed a tall glass of cold water and sat by the dining table.</p><p class="p1">“You’re still awake?” the voice of Riku Doldo III boomed across the dining hall. Viola immediately dropped her cutlery and looked towards the direction of the voice.</p><p class="p1">“I had to finish the pile of paperworks on my desk by tonight, dad. I’m having dinner, is all,” Viola explained to her father, having the softest tone she could master because she knew how much of a worrywart her father is.</p><p class="p1">The king decided to make an appearance and sat across where his daughter was seated. He was only thinking of drinking a warm glass of water– the pre-spring weather was still chilly but after seeing his daughter having a very, <em>very</em> late supper, he decided it was just right to inquire if she was okay.</p><p class="p1">“Are you sure that it’s <em>only</em> the paperworks that are draining your energy?” the king inquired, placing his thumb across his chin. Viola, once again, dropped her cutlery and took a deep breath. She has been mentally debating on the matter regarding her eventual wedding with Doflamingo. Sure, the former warlord did live up to his words and for the past four years, she has witnessed his therapy paying off. Gone were the days where she walked on eggshells whenever she talked to Doffy and in exchange was a man who knew how to respect her need for space, her identity, and her freedom.</p><p class="p1">But the past cannot be forgotten and her decision on whether or not to let her former lover back into her life once again solely rests on the idea of forgiveness. Throughout the four years Doffy has spent, trying to earn her and her family’s forgiveness, old feelings resurfaced once again and the wish to have something more than friendship reappeared in Viola’s mind.</p><p class="p1">Doflamingo has vastly improved throughout the years but letting him in once again made Viola feel as if she is betraying her family.</p><p class="p1">The king noticed the distant expression plaguing his daughter’s face and no explanation was needed in order to grasp the thoughts inside his daughter’s mind.</p><p class="p1">“Between the two of us, your clairvoyance far exceeds mine. But let me tell you this, Viola, <em>do not</em> rest your happiness upon anyone else’s decision or judgment,” the king stated, putting a pause to Viola’s train of thought.</p><p class="p1">Her father knew what she was feeling and she needn’t to explain it.</p><p class="p1">A long pause settled in the dining hall. Viola ran out of words to say while her father was waiting for a reply– fully knowing that his daughter’s silence alone isn’t the reply to his previous statement.</p><p class="p1">“I don’t want to betray you, the family, and the kingdom once again, dad,” his daughter finally opened up as she picked up the utensils she dropped and continued eating her late dinner.</p><p class="p1">“And can you explain how are you going to betray us once again with whatever decision you have made?” her father probed.</p><p class="p1">“He did change, dad. He’s a complete 180 from the previous man that I’ve come to know but….” she trailed of, trying to find the right words to say.</p><p class="p1">“But the past is stopping you from making a concrete decision, am I correct?” her father interjected, fully aware of his daughter’s ongoing mental debate. He has noticed Viola having internal dialogues with herself for the past three weeks and he suspected that it was regarding her choice in having an exclusive relationship with the 10-foot blonde.</p><p class="p1">And he was correct.</p><p class="p1">Taking Viola’s stunned expression as the answer to the question he just asked, Riku Doldo III continued his speech, “forgiving and forgetting are both mutually exclusive, Viola. Forgiving doesn’t necessarily mean you have forgotten the past. Contrarily, forgetting doesn’t necessarily mean that you have forgiven that person. The past is equally important as the present and the future, but that <em>isn’t</em> an excuse to hold onto it for so long.”</p><p class="p1">“I don’t know, dad. there’s just too many factors to consider and reconsider, and too many doubts inside my head. And I don’t want to feel as if I’m betraying all of you once again. It took years for me to forgive myself for having that kind of relationship with him, and I’m afraid that I am making the same mistake,” the heiress voiced out.</p><p class="p1">“I understand your doubts, Viola, but you have to ask yourself this: what’s the difference between <em>then</em> and <em>now</em>?”</p><p class="p1">“He’s changed. Big time. He respects me. He respects the family. He acknowledges his mistakes and owes up to them. But I can never be too careful around him,”</p><p class="p1">“That’s right. You are, indeed, always cautious and strong-headed, and that is the reason why I don’t intervene with your decisions in life. I trust you, Viola, more than anyone, and I wouldn’t want to hold you back from what– or who, makes you happy,” the king reassured his daughter.</p><p class="p1">“Let me tell you this, Viola. If people clung onto the past then I wouldn’t be the re-crowned king right now. If I remained stuck with the fact that I was previously a failure of a king, I never would have reclaimed my position as king, no matter how much our citizens pleaded for my return.</p><p class="p1">All I’m saying is, you can’t use someone’s past to judge his entire life. Setting aside my opinions for that man, everyone changes– for better or worse– just like the seasons.</p><p class="p1">I can never know what you’re feeling, my daughter, but <em>do not</em> place your happiness upon someone else’s judgment,” the king finished off. He stood up from where he was seated and waved his daughter good night.</p><p class="p1"><em>It’s way too late for something complicated as this. It’s midnight, for christ’s sake. </em>Viola thought as she finished her late supper, another wave of migraine making its appearance.</p><p class="p3">___</p><p class="p1">“Auntie, what do you think of this dress?” Rebecca inquired as she presented an olive floral midi dress in front of Viola. The two ladies are preparing for an upcoming banquet. The king prepared the event to congratulate Rebecca and Cavendish with their upcoming wedding. The two have been engaged for over a year now and their wedding will take place in the Flower Hill at the second week of spring.</p><p class="p1">“You remind me of Scarlett, Becca,” Viola said.</p><p class="p1">Slightly chuckling, Rebecca remarked, “that was not the response I was looking for!” and jokingly rolled her eyes. At the age of 33, she still remains as the soft and kind daughter of Kyros and Scarlett who fought off enemies in the Corrida Colosseum.</p><p class="p1">“I know, I know. But to answer your question, yes, that dress perfectly hugs your figure and compliments your hair,” Viola lightly added.</p><p class="p1">“Hey, Becca, you know the deal with Doflamingo, right?” the light mood of the room instantly changed upon mentioning his name.</p><p class="p1">“Ah, your eventual engagement with him?” her niece clarified as she put on the midi dress.</p><p class="p1">“Yes. I have made a decision– or rather, I am trying to come up with one,” Viola furrowed her eyebrows, trying to slowly open the subject open the subject to her niece. Kyros and Becca were the less civil members of the Riku family towards Doffy, which was understandable since his assault from 24 years ago caused Scarlett’s death.</p><p class="p1">“Auntie, if you’re basing your decision on what me and my father feels, then you’re doing the decision-making process<em> wrong</em>,” her niece sighed, fully aware of her aunt’s… <em>concerns</em>.</p><p class="p1">“My father and I have moved on from the past but that doesn’t mean that we have forgotten my mother’s death during the night that Doflamingo took over. Whether we have forgiven him or not is a different subject and I wouldn’t disclose it to you, ever, knowing how much our opinions weigh on your decisions in life.</p><p class="p1">I just want you to be happy with your life, Auntie Viola, and if your happiness stems from an exclusive relationship with him, who are we to hold you back? If you’re afraid that being with him will tear the family apart, there’s something that you call ‘being civil with each other’ and that’s what we’re going to do if your decision is to be with him,” Rebecca explained.</p><p class="p1">“My father is fully aware of your predicament, auntie. But it’s been 24 years since that night and holding a grudge for that long wouldn’t resurrect my mother. Plus, my dad is currently consumed with stress due to the fact that I’m engaged to a pirate,” she added, followed by a light chuckle.</p><p class="p1">And what Rebecca said was true. Kyros wasn’t a forgiving man but he was nice enough to act civil whenever Doflamingo’s within his line of sight. Whether he allows the union of the latter with his sister-in-law is none of his concern and it would be hypocritical of him to judge the former warlord for being a criminal attempting to wed a royalty because he, too, was a criminal-slash-outcast who was wedded to a royalty.</p><p class="p1">Kyros never remarried and, instead, focused on catching up with the ‘lost’ time with his daughter and now that she’s engaged to a prince-turned-pirate, he can’t help but stress out on the preparations for the wedding as well as the underlying anxiety that Cavendish wouldn’t be ‘enough’ for his precious daughter– the typical concerns of a protective, loving father. </p><p class="p1">“Auntie, are you aware that Cavendish turns into Hakuba at night and that he’s highly narcissistic?” Rebecca blurted out of the blue as the two are now applying make-up and have finished changing their dresses.</p><p class="p1">“Hakuba?” Viola raised an eyebrow.</p><p class="p1">“He has a condition where he turns into Hakuba while sleeping... sort of an alternate ego. Hakuba kills everyone he sees, regardless of who that person is to Cavendish.”</p><p class="p1">He’s also narcissistic. Very much so, might I add. He can’t help but admire his appearance whenever he’s given the chance to do so. At the early stages of our relationship, I disliked those two characteristics of him the most.</p><p class="p1">We talked about it, though. I raised my concerns regarding his attitude. He explained his side and asked on what problems need fixing or what needs to be changed, and fortunately, he did change.</p><p class="p1">He killed hundreds of people whenever he shifts into Hakuba and that this alternate ego of his will never be gone. Long story short, we both learned how to cope up with him and scheduled therapy sessions. I accepted him for who he is and now, we’re going to be husband and wife in roughly two weeks…. Thank God, he's able to control Hakuba now,” Rebecca trailed off.</p><p class="p1">“All I’m saying is, nobody’s perfect. Cavendish, although he looks like the ultimate prince charming and knight and shining armor, isn’t perfect. You can’t enter a relationship with someone and expect him to be perfect right away. The keys towards a successful happy relationship are acceptance, growth, and trust. It’s all about accepting each other’s past and growing from it,” the pink-haired princess stopped what she was doing and gave Viola’s cold hands a gentle squeeze, almost telling the brunette that a fruitful future awaits her.</p><p class="p1">With this, the heiress rolled back the tears threatening to fall down and beamed her niece a genuine gentle smile.</p><p class="p1">Her decision has been set in stone.</p><p class="p1">___</p><p class="p1">“You <em>demanded</em> to see me, Violet,” the blonde seated across her stated as the two met up in a café located in Primula. The people around them seemed unfazed with the intimidating figure of the former warlord and the heiress as the two usually met up outside the grounds of the castle– mainly to discuss businesses involving Dressrosa for a handful amount of times already.</p><p class="p1">Taking a sip of her cold brew coffee, Viola leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table, thinking about the proper way to break the news to Doflamingo. She opted to meet the former warlord somewhere public, afraid that if they were given the utmost privacy, his reaction would turn violent.</p><p class="p1">The man has been busy for the past three weeks and before her decision has been set in stone, she knew that the perfect time to speak to Doffy regarding their… predicament is right after the three-week mark.</p><p class="p1">And right now, Viola’s slightly regretting her decision of choosing a public place. This moment right here is considered intimate, considering what she’s about to tell Doffy, and she felt like she wants this moment to be just the two of them, away from prying eyes.</p><p class="p1">Wiping her clammy hands, she stood up from where she was seated and pulled out three notes from her bag and placed them under the white ceramic coaster where the glass of her cold brew was placed.</p><p class="p1"><em>I definitely chose the wrong place to do this</em>. She thought. Tapping Doffy’s left forearm, she told him, “let’s go and walk to Green Bit.”</p><p class="p1">Doffy stood up without muttering a word. He’s well aware of the fact that the woman right in front of him was very tense– with the way that her eyebrows have been furrowed since they met up and the way she constantly hugged herself, he knew that the princess was stressed.</p><p class="p1"><em>Something must have come up with the country while I was gone</em>. He pondered as the two headed towards Green Bit. Although he still felt tired form his previous thee-week engagement with partners from the underworld, he’s willing to undergo another series of stressful events as long as it meant that it would make Viola’s circumstances… more bearable.</p><p class="p1">His guess that there’s something wrong was even more confirmed when the princess unconsciously placed her hand on his forearm– something she never did on the four years he has been trying to win her favor.</p><p class="p1">Violet has always been cautious around him and he can’t blame her for doing so considering the past.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve contacted your father through the <em>den-den mushi</em> every weekend, inquiring about the current status of the country. He assured me there’s nothing wrong,” Doffy prompted, slowly trying to find out what made Viola stressed out and anxious.</p><p class="p1">“Is everything alright in Dressrosa?” he probed even further.</p><p class="p1">“No, nothing’s wrong with the country. All is well. <em>It</em>… doesn’t concern the country,” Viola silently murmured but the man walking beside her still heard her loud and clear.</p><p class="p1"><em>It doesn’t concern the country? </em>He mentally asked.</p><p class="p1"><em>Maybe it’s about the two of you. </em>The voice of his subconsciousness stated. He mentally cringed with the thought because judging from the way Viola was acting and her refusal to remain seated in a public area (possibly not wanting to publicly humiliate him with whatever she’s about to say)… all signs point towards rejection and with the short amount of time left before reaching Green Bit, he better brace for impact. </p><p class="p1">He knew that his chances of having a chance with Viola were slim and he’s already accepted that fact right after she bid him goodbye four years ago. Although rejection would definitely suck after four years of hard-work, he will definitely respect Viola’s decision. However, the question about how he will move on from this rejection remains unanswered.</p><p class="p1">After all, he can’t force someone– especially a person he’s hurt, to welcome him with open arms. </p><p class="p1">The dread of rejection alone was enough to shut him up and with every step the pair took headed towards the island, he just wanted to pause for a second and make the most of the remaining time he has with the beauty beside him.</p><p class="p1">After an hour of walking, the pair has finally reached their destination. They’re back to where everything began, <em>again</em>, and neither of them has found the right words to stay.</p><p class="p1"><em>Keep your shit together. </em>The two of them simultaneously said inside their minds separately.</p><p class="p1">The intense sound of the waves crashing snapped the two out of their trances. Viola was finding the strength to voice out her words while Doffy was finding the strength to accept what she’s about to say.</p><p class="p1">“Okay,” Viola blurted out. She could have said a more cohesive and coherent sentence but the nervousness eating up her insides caused the lady to just say a two-syllable word.</p><p class="p1">Doflamingo was dumbfounded with what he heard. He didn’t know what Viola’s ‘okay’ meant– did it mean, ‘okay, I’m rejecting you’ or ‘okay, I’ll be with you’? He didn’t want to probe, afraid that when the heiress clarified her statement, she would say the former.</p><p class="p1"><em>Keep your shit together, Donquixote Doflamingo. </em>He mentally scolded himself because he was completely out of his character. He never felt fear for the past 14 years, not even when he faced Kyros and Riku Doldo III, but the mere thought of being rejected by the woman right in front of him was enough to make him shiver with fear.</p><p class="p1">“Okay, I’ll be together with you,” Viola has finally found the right words to say, trying to be assertive as she can while avoiding cracking up a smile. She, once again, wiped her clammy fingers and waited for his response.</p><p class="p1"><em>What. The. Actual. Fuck. </em>Were the only words inside Doflamingo’s mind.</p><p class="p1">“You’ve gotta be shitting me, right? I have to wake up from this dream,” Doflamingo said, nervously wiping his palms against his face, as if all of what he heard was just some form of illusion that will fade away.</p><p class="p1">But this wasn’t an illusion. This is <em>reality</em>.</p><p class="p1">Viola silently chuckled, amused that the person in front of her is totally out of his character. Doflamingo never showed his nervousness– in fact, she knew that he was fearless, and seeing the same, exact person currently on the verge of turning into a nervous wreck, meant that she has been disillusioned throughout the years.</p><p class="p1"><em>It seems as if the invincible former warlord can still feel fear, after all</em>. She mentally chuckled.</p><p class="p1">“This isn’t a dream, Doffy. Or do you not want to be with me anymore?” She jokingly retorted.</p><p class="p1">At an utter loss for words, the former warlord fell down on his knees and wrapped the most beautiful woman he’s had the luxury of meeting in a bone-crushing hug, still in disbelief that this person right here was <em>finally his</em> and that he’s <em>finally hers</em>.</p><p class="p1">“Thank you, Viola,” he exasperatedly said as he locked his arms on her bottom and carried her. Viola was surprised with his sudden action and placed her hands across his chest. The two were laughingout of joy and Doflamingo continued carrying his lady.</p><p class="p1">“I was bracing for rejection. Shit, Viola. You scared me. I thought you wanted to go somewhere private so that I wouldn’t be humiliated. This wasn’t the response that I was expecting,” he breathed out as he hugged her tighter– if that’s even possible.</p><p class="p1">“I can always change my answer to fit your expectations plus I will <em>never</em> miss the opportunity to publicly humiliate you,” Viola jokingly said as she gently caressed Doflamingo’s back, comforting him.</p><p class="p1">“Thank you, Viola, really,” he expressed, thanking the princess in his arms once again.</p><p class="p1">“Not the words I was expecting to hear, but today’s the day when we hear statements that are completely different from our expectations, no?”</p><p class="p1">The pair laughed from Viola’s statement and Doffy leaned in for the much-awaited passionate kiss.</p><p class="p1">And just like four years ago, in this exact shore located at the rear end of Green Bit, another new beginning for the couple ensued.</p><p class="p1">Winter passed by and spring has arrived. Their romance bloomed together with the flowers after a long season filled with coldness.</p><p class="p1">___</p><p class="p1">“Dad, I’m done with these paperworks and I’m about to head out,” Viola declared as she hurriedly placed the neat pile of paper atop her father’s desk. She was rushing so that she can prepare for her first official date with her boyfriend.</p><p class="p1"><em>Boyfriend</em>. Referring to Doflamingo as her boyfriend still feels foreign, considering the fact that they have just been official yesterday, but she can’t help but smile whenever the thought of being in a relationship with Doffy pops up in her mind. She feels like a teenager, once again, despite the fact that she’s already 43 years old.</p><p class="p1">She made a beeline towards her room and immediately changed form her ordinary office attire to a pastel pink midi dress with strawberry designs scattered throughout the fabric. She also applied light make-up. Having no time to fix her hair, she just settled to let her brown wavy locks down. Choosing to wear plain nude heels, Viola immediately shut the door of her room and quickly headed towards the gates of the castle.</p><p class="p1">She was too nervous and excited for their first date that she didn’t notice her father sneakily peeking through the end of the hallway, curious as to why his daughter was suddenly eager to finish her paperworks when she just stayed up late the previous night, dead tired with the workload. </p><p class="p1">Walking towards the front of the castle, Viola finally saw the familiar towering figure of her man and waved at him to let her know she’s close.</p><p class="p1">Of course, Doffy didn’t miss the gesture of his girlfriend. He, too, was a nervous wreck because this is his first official date with his woman. With a wide grin, he walked towards her and the view right in front of him took his breath away.</p><p class="p1">He knew that no other women can ever hold a candle to Viola’s beauty but what he didn’t know was the fact that Viola can get even more beautiful. He grinned even more, thankful that the beauty right in front of him is officially <em>his girlfriend</em>; officially <em>his</em>.</p><p class="p1">Due to her excitement, Viola quickened her pace and immediately hugged her man and after a few moments, she took the time to appreciate how Doffy cleaned up nicely. Her man has been blessed with good looks but the complete set of tuxedo with a pink tie made him look even more handsome.</p><p class="p1">“You’re not looking too bad yourself,” she complimented.</p><p class="p1">“Had to tone down my sense of fashion. I didn’t want to outshine the beauty in my arms,” Doflamingo winked which caused Viola to roll her eyes and snort.</p><p class="p1">“Shall we?” Doffy asked as he held out his hand to Viola.</p><p class="p1">“We shall,” she replied as she held his hand and headed to where they will be having their first date.</p><p class="p1">Little did they know that tonight’s date was also a beginning– the beginning of a series of romantic dates and hang-outs that strengthened their bond and allowed them to know about each other at a much deeper scale.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I purposely didn't state whether Riku Doldo III, Rebecca, and Kyros have forgiven Donquixote Doflamingo or not– the decision is entirely up to you, the readers (I do have my own thoughts about it, though and I refuse to explicitly show it in the one-shot) on how you perceived the plot I wrote out. </p><p>I wanted to give justice and depth to these characters and explicitly stating whether or not they have it in their hearts to forgive Doffy would definitely affect their character depth. </p><p>I estimate that the 'Seasons' series will have four installments so by the time I have published this, we're halfway through Doffy and Viola's journey! Thank you so much for the support and let me know if there are errors. Leave a ❤️!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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